Half to julius arnd



(No Model.)

W. H. WYLAND.

FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 444,788. Patented Jan. 13, 1891.

THE NORM! PETERS co, PNOTO-LITNQ, WASHINGTON, n c

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries...

WILLIAM H. WYLAND, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO JULIUS ARND, OF SAME PLACE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,788, dated January 13, 1891.

Application filed July 1, 1890. Serial No. 357,408. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known thatI, XVILLIAM H. \VYLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escape Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others to skilled in the art to whiohit pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved fireescape; and it consists in certain details of construction and combination of parts, as will be fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved fire-escape,

which is constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the top portion of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the lower portion of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the platforms, having the wire-netting or railing removed therefrom.

To construct a fire-escape apparatus in accordance with my invention, I provide four brackets a, and secure two at a point near the top of a building I) and directly above a series of windows communicating with the several floors or stories of the building. The other pair of brackets to I arrange a short distance above the ground floor and in line 5 with the upper set a. Mounted in bearings in these brackets on are two strong shafts 0, having rigidly secured to each two sprocketwheels d, over which are placed two endless chains 2, which engage with the teeth of the sprockets d and are operated by the same. Secured by hinged connections f to these chains e are a number of platforms g, consistin g of oblong box-shaped frames h, surrounded on three sides with a wire-netting, and hav- 5 ing an open end toward the building I) and an opening Z on one side. These hinged platforms 9 are supported in a horizontal position by means of short flexible braces m, attached to the chains e at a point above the platforms g and to the outer portions of the frames h of the same.

Secured to the upper and lower shafts o are two large flanged wheels 02, having an end* less rope wound several times about the one and passed over the other wheel, which serves 5 5 as a means for operating, revolving, or check ing the motion of the platforms g. Arranged at the lower brackets a is a landing q, to which a short pair of stairs or ladder p is hinged, which reaches to the pavement or 6o ground, and when not in use may be elevated out of reach.

In operation the platform 9 next the building Z7 hangs suspended in a horizontal position, while those opposite are folded, or the platform 9 hangs in a vertical position. A person desiring to escape from the building in case of a fire steps from one of the windows onto the platform which increases the weight on that side of the apparatus, which causes that side to fall or be gently lowered. By grasping the endless cl1eckcord o the op erator may check the apparatus at any point or keep the platforms continually moving.

\Vhen the occupants of the various platforms g have reached the lower landing q, they step off onto the same and may land safely on the ground by means of the stairway 19. Should the persons when on the platforms g be excited and not step out on the landing q, the platform g, when passing round the lower sprocket-wheels d, will assume an inclined and perpendicular position, which will drop the occupants of the platforms g to the ground. The distance being short will prevent injury.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 15'? The herein-described fire-escape, consist- 9c ing of two endless chains arranged side by side and operating over sprocket-wheels, the platforms g, hinged to the said chains and supported by flexible braces m, said platforms 9 consisting of a box-shaped frame h, sur- 5 rounded 011 three sides with wire-netting and having an open end toward the building and an opening l at one side thereof, whereby the occupants of said platforms may have access to the landing q below, the two large flanged 10c wheels a, secured to the upper and lower shaft 0, and an endless rope wound several times about the upper wheel 02 and passed In testimony that I claim the foregoing I over the lower Wheel asa means of regulating hereunto affix my signature this 23d day of and controlling the speed of the apparatus, June, A. D. 1890.

and a short stair 0r ladder hinged to theland- WILLIAM H. WYLAND. [L. S.] ing in a manner that the same maybe raised In presence of or lowered at will, substantially as and for the JOHN G. THOMPSON,

purpose described. RICHARD S. HARRISON. 

